99.75 percent ration cards linked with Aadhar in state: Saryu Rai

Ranchi (By our correspondent): Jharkhand’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister Saryu Rai said that 99.75 percent ration cards have been linked with Aadhar in the state while more than 75 percent ration cards have been linked with the bank account of the card holder. Briefing the press after the monthly review of the department at the project building here he said 50 percent of the ration cards have been linked with mobile. He said under the National Food Security Act 2.64 crore people are being provided food grains in the state and said that even a minor mistake in this can effect a large number of the people, therefore, the officials should carefully work in this regard. 

The minister said that PDS control order was made three years ago and no there is a need to make some changes in it for which the department has formed a committee to look into the amendments. Mr. Rai said that a committee will also be formed to monitor the functioning of the ‘Dal- Bhaat’ centers in the state and said that once in a year the ration card holders will have to submit their e-KYC. Mr. Rai said that in the month of September in more than  10,000 ration cards duplicity was found while this time their number is 13095 for which the department instead of deleting them at one ago has decided to conduct a probe and remove the names.

He said that simultaneously the work to remove the cards which have been made unlawfully is on and action is also being taken
against those who have taken the food grains illegally. He said that as the wrong names would be deleted the new names would be added to the list. The minister said that his department has commenced the work of paddy procurement and so far purchased 2500 metric tones of paddy and since it is expected that the dates of the Lok Sabha polls would be announced in mid-February the department will try to purchase as much paddy as possible in these two months.

Mr Rai said that the department has sent a proposal to the finance department to give a bonus of Rs 200 on per quintal of paddy and if the proposal is approved by cabinet that paddy would be purchased at Rs 1950 per quintal or else it would be done on the MSP of Rs 1750 per quintal as announced the central government.